Liquid crystal display device

Abstract

There is provided a liquid crystal display device of high image quality, which has high brightness and excellent viewing angle characteristics. A liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes a pair of polarizing plates, a first electrode, a second electrode provided so as to oppose the first electrode, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. Each of a plurality of pixels includes a first region and a second region which are separated by a line parallel to or perpendicular to the directions of the transmission axes of the pair of polarizing plates. The first electrode includes, in each of the first region and the second region, a plurality of first branch portions extending in a first direction and a plurality of second branch portions extending in a second direction that is different from the first direction. Each of the plurality of first branch portions in the first region has a first width. Each of the plurality of first branch portions in the second region has a second width that is different from the first width.

1. A vertical alignment type liquid crystal display device which has a plurality of pixels, comprising:
 a pair of polarizing plates which have transmission axes orthogonal to each other; 
 a first electrode; 
 a second electrode provided so as to oppose the first electrode; and 
 a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, 
 wherein each of the plurality of pixels includes a first region and a second region which are separated by a line parallel to or perpendicular to the directions of the transmission axes of the pair of polarizing plates, 
 the first electrode includes, in each of the first region and the second region, a plurality of first branch portions extending in a first direction and a plurality of second branch portions extending in a second direction that is different from the first direction; 
 each of the plurality of first branch portions in the first region has a first width, and 
 each of the plurality of first branch portions in the second region has a second width that is different from the first width. 
 
     
     
       2. The liquid crystal display device of  claim 1 , wherein
 each of the plurality of second branch portions in the first region has the first width, and 
 each of the plurality of second branch portions in the second region has the second width. 
 
     
     
       3. The liquid crystal display device of  claim 1 , wherein
 any adjacent two of the plurality of first branch portions in the first region are separated by a first space, and 
 any adjacent two of the plurality of first branch portions in the second region are separated by a second space that is different from the first space. 
 
     
     
       4. The liquid crystal display device of  claim 3 , wherein
 any adjacent two of the plurality of second branch portions in the first region are separated by the first space, and 
 any adjacent two of the plurality of second branch portions in the second region are separated by the second space. 
 
     
     
       5. The liquid crystal display device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first region and the second region respectively correspond to one region and the other region of a pixel which are separated by a gate bus line or CS line. 
 
     
     
       6. The liquid crystal display device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first region and the second region respectively correspond to one region and the other region of a pixel which are separated by a line parallel to a source bus line. 
 
     
     
       7. The liquid crystal display device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first direction and the second direction are orthogonal to each other, and 
 directions of the transmission axes of the pair of polarizing plates and the first direction are different by 45°, 135°, 225°, or 315°. 
 
     
     
       8. The liquid crystal display device of  claim 1 , wherein
 when a voltage is applied across the liquid crystal layer, four liquid crystal domains among which an alignment direction of liquid crystal molecules is different are formed in each of the first region and the second region. 
 
     
     
       9. The liquid crystal display device of  claim 1 , wherein
 each of the plurality of pixels includes a third region separated from the first region or the second region by a line parallel to or perpendicular to the directions of the transmission axes, of the pair of polarizing plates, 
 the first electrode includes the plurality of first branch portions and the plurality of second branch portions in the third region, and 
 each of the plurality of first branch portions and the plurality of second branch portions in the third region has a third width that is different from the first width or the second width. 
 
     
     
       10. The liquid crystal display device of  claim 1 , wherein
 when a voltage is not applied across the liquid crystal layer, a tilt angle of liquid crystal molecules in the first region is different from a tilt angle of liquid crystal molecules in the second region. 
 
     
     
       11. A vertical alignment type liquid crystal display device which has a plurality of pixels, comprising:
 a pair of polarizing plates which have transmission axes orthogonal to each other; 
 a first electrode; 
 a second electrode provided so as to oppose the first electrode; and 
 a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, 
 wherein each of the plurality of pixels includes a first region and a second region which are separated by a line parallel to or perpendicular to the directions of the transmission axes of the pair of polarizing plates, 
 the first electrode includes, in each of the first region and the second region, a plurality of first branch portions extending in a first direction and a plurality of second branch portions extending in a second direction that is different from the first direction; 
 any adjacent two of the plurality of first branch portions in the first region are separated by a first space, and 
 any adjacent two of the plurality of first branch portions in the second region are separated by a second space that is different from the first space. 
 
     
     
       12. The liquid crystal display device of  claim 11 , wherein
 any adjacent two of the plurality of second branch portions in the first region are separated by the first space, and 
 any adjacent two of the plurality of second branch portions in the second region are separated by the second space. 
 
     
     
       13. The liquid crystal display device of  claim 11 , wherein
 each of the plurality of pixels includes a third region separated from the first region or the second region by a line parallel to or perpendicular to the directions of the transmission axes of the pair of polarizing plates, 
 the first electrode includes the plurality of first branch portions and the plurality of second branch portions in the third region, and 
 any adjacent two of the plurality of first branch portions in the third region and any adjacent two of the plurality of second branch portions in the third region are separated by a third space that is different from the first space or the second space. 
 
     
     
       14. The liquid crystal display device of  claim 11 , wherein
 when a voltage is not applied across the liquid crystal layer, a tilt angle of liquid crystal molecules in the first region is different from a tilt angle of liquid crystal molecules in the second region. 
 
     
     
       15. A vertical alignment type liquid crystal display device which has a plurality of pixels, comprising:
 a pair of polarizing plates which have transmission axes orthogonal to each other; 
 a first electrode; 
 a second electrode provided so as to oppose the first electrode; and 
 a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, 
 wherein each of the plurality of pixels includes a plurality of regions which are separated from each other by a line parallel to or perpendicular to the directions of the transmission axes of the pair of polarizing plates, 
 the first electrode includes, in each of the plurality of regions, a plurality of first branch portions extending in a first direction and a plurality of second branch portions extending in a second direction that is different from the first direction; 
 each of the plurality of first branch portions in one of the plurality of regions has a first width, and 
 each of the plurality of first branch portions in another one of the plurality of regions has a second width that is different from the first width. 
 
     
     
       16. The liquid crystal display device of  claim 15 , wherein
 each of the plurality of second branch portions in one of the plurality of regions has the first width, and 
 each of the plurality of second branch portions in the another one of the plurality of regions has the second width. 
 
     
     
       17. A vertical alignment type liquid crystal display device which has a plurality of pixels, comprising:
 a pair of polarizing plates which have transmission axes orthogonal to each other; 
 a first electrode; 
 a second electrode provided so as to oppose the first electrode; and 
 a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, 
 wherein each of the plurality of pixels includes a plurality of regions which are separated from each other by a line parallel to or perpendicular to the directions of the transmission axes of the pair of polarizing plates, 
 the first electrode includes, in each of the plurality of regions, a plurality of first branch portions extending in a first direction and a plurality of second branch portions extending in a second direction that is different from the first direction; 
 any adjacent two of the plurality of first branch portions in one of the plurality of regions are separated by a first space, and 
 any adjacent two of the plurality of first branch portions in the another one of the plurality of regions are separated by a second space that is different from the first space. 
 
     
     
       18. The liquid crystal display device of  claim 17 , wherein
 any adjacent two of the plurality of second branch portions in one of the plurality of regions are separated by the first space, and 
 any adjacent two of the plurality of second branch portions in the another one of the plurality of regions are separated by the second space.